1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a system and method of spectral or colorimetric characterization of an image display device, and more particularly, to a system and method for characterizing a self-illuminating imaging device and synchronizing the appearance of color images displayed on the self-illuminating imaging device with images produced by internet web sites.
2. Background of the Related Art
As used herein, imaging devices should be understood to include computer monitors, flat screen displays, televisions, large image projectors and the like. Spectral or colorimetric characterization denotes the spectral or colorimetric description of the current imaging properties of an imaging system which, for example, can also consist of a combination of the actual monitor in conjunction with driver software and/or a graphics card.
The characterization of color monitors has typically been achieved with colorimeters equipped with filters adapted to the sensitivity of the eye (frequently designated as three-area or tri-stimulus colorimeters) or spectral sensors associated with a spectral photometer. Color profiles of the monitors are then produced with the aid of the measured data from these devices. However, known calorimeters have the disadvantage that the illumination conditions of the monitor environment are not taken into account.
A method of characterization is known wherein a visual match is performed with color sample fields. During this method, color samples are held alongside the imaging system to be examined so that a color field produced on the imaging system can be appropriately matched. However, this known method only provides an approximate solution, since to achieve a proper match, a sufficient illumination of the color sample field and the least possible incidence of light onto the monitor is necessary. This cannot be achieved using such a method, because the color sample fields are kept adjacent to the monitor and or the color field produced thereby.
It is well know that color images sent to any web browser by a web server will always have the same numerical color values associated therewith. However, those images may not appear the same on every monitor on which they are displayed. This becomes most problematic for e-commerce online retailers, as goods that appear to be one shade on a computer screen are quite different in actuality. Indeed, of the millions of consumers shopping online, it has been estimated that nearly 60% of them do not trust the color of the images they see on their monitors.
Systems have been developed to calibrate the images seen by a viewer and the image created by a web designer. One such system, developed by E-Color, Inc., requires a web designer to supply information about how their system displays color by embedding a color profile with their images. On the consumer side, the E-Color system requires a customer to calibrate their monitor by completing a one-time set up procedure at a Website. The procedure requires the customer to view a series of color patches and click on matching colors. In use, when an image with an embedded profile is served to a customer""s browser, the server-based E-Color system reads the color profile and adjusts the image for the difference between the authoring system and the customer""s display.
There are certain disadvantages associated with a server-based color management system, in that real time color transformations are performed at the server, rather than at the browser. Consequently, there is a large computational burden placed on the server, which can degrade service. Clearly, there is a need in the art for a color management system that overcomes the deficiencies of prior art systems.
The subject invention provides a system and method for colorimetric characterization and synchronization of a self-illuminating imaging device which overcomes the problems and deficiencies of the prior art. More particularly, the system and method of the subject invention is an innovative and simple to use method of synchronizing the appearance of color images on a color monitor with images produced by Website across the Internet or World Wide Web.
The subject invention is particularly adapted and configured to enable companies engaging in e-commerce to achieve the high color accuracy required to effectively sell products and services to consumers over the Internet. In addition, the system is designed to enable individuals to access and accurately view images, such as online digital photos. In essence, the subject invention provides computer users with the ability to enable accurate color viewing over the Internet, and to support color decision making across the World Wide Web with consistent quality.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the subject invention, a user is provided with a set of four transparent color filter films or foils each having known spectral or colorimetric reference values (red, green, blue and neutral gray). Preferably, each film includes a low tack adhesive to facilitate temporary fixation on the monitor screen during the characterization or set-up procedure, which will not leave an undesirable residue on the monitor screen.
When the user goes on-line and initially contacts a system-enabled Website, the user is offered the option of starting a system application or program that is automatically embedded in the first web page received from the web server. After commencing a set-up procedure, the user is instructed to place a first color film onto the monitor screen, within a xe2x80x9cwindowxe2x80x9d of nominal white space surrounded by a solid color border. Color adjustments are made by the user with a slider or similar color adjustment mechanism associated with the monitor until a visual color match is achieved between the color film and the surrounding solid color border, i.e., when the color impression of the surrounding color border corresponds to the color impression of the color signal generated by the transparent color filter film.
This visual matching process is then repeated for the other two color films, and for the gray film. From the slider settings made by the user, an optimum color transformation for the monitor is then computed based upon the known colorimetric reference values for the films, and a monitor profile is generated by the system. The monitor profile is then stored as a xe2x80x9ccookiexe2x80x9d in the browser software. On all subsequent visits to the system-enabled Website, the color transformation will automatically be applied at the browser level to downloaded images and web pages to provide accurate color images on the user""s monitor.
In sum, a system is disclosed to facilitate the color characterization of a computer monitor and synchronization of the appearance of color images displayed on the monitor with color images produced by web sites across the internet. The system is configured to embed a color characterization program in a response to an initial browser based request for a color image to facilitate the color characterization of the monitor associated with the browser. It then forwards the embedded response to the browser, and generates a profile characterizing the monitor using the color characterization program.
The system is further configured to modify a response to a subsequent browser based request for a color image by replacing the image tags associated with the color image with substitute image tags configured to effect a color transformation based upon the profile characterizing the monitor. It then forwards the modified response to the web browser, and transforms the color image based upon the substitute image tags for display on the monitor. Since the color transformations occur at the browser, there is no computational burden placed on the server.
The subject invention is also directed to a system for synchronizing the appearance of color images on a self-illuminating imaging device which includes a workstation including a self-illuminating imaging device, a web browser operatively associated with workstation, and a color management program operatively associated with the web browser for performing color transformations upon color images received by the web browser and displayed on the self-illuminating imaging device. Preferably, the color management program is downloaded to the web browser from a web server. Alternatively, the color management program and the web browser are encoded on a computer-readable storage medium which may be loaded into the memory of the workstation. It is also envisioned that the color management program could be integrated into the workstation and stored in memory.
The subject invention is further directed to a system and method for profiling the colorimetric characteristics of an image projection device associated with a computer workstation. The system employs a set of color reference plates each having a predetermined spectral reflectance value associated therewith. During a profiling procedure, the color reference plates are sequentially placed onto a projection screen and illuminated by a projection beam. A visual match is performed for each reference plate by selectively adjusting the color of the projection beam. A color profile is generated for the projector based upon the selected color settings. The color profile is used to transform projected images.
These and other features of the system and method of the subject invention will become more readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings.